Process and apparatus for producing and recycling cracked hydrocarbons

ABSTRACT

A process and apparatus is for recycling LCO and/or HCO to an FCC unit to recover additional distillate. Spent catalyst recycle in the FCC unit may be used to improve distillate yield. A hydroprocessing zone may saturate cycle oil aromatics for cracking in an FCC unit. The recycle cracked stream may be recycled to a downstream hydroprocessing zone to avoid a first hydroprocessing zone for hydrotreating feed to the FCC unit. Additional recovery of cycle oil for recycle is obtained by heating slurry oil prior to vacuum separation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The field of the invention is fluid catalytic cracking (FCC).

FCC technology, now more than 50 years old, has undergone continuousimprovement and remains the predominant source of gasoline production inmany refineries. This gasoline, as well as lighter products, is formedas the result of cracking heavier, less valuable hydrocarbon feed stockssuch as gas oil.

In its most general form, the FCC process comprises a reactor that isclosely coupled with a regenerator, followed by downstream hydrocarbonproduct separation. Hydrocarbon feed contacts catalyst in the reactor tocrack the hydrocarbons down to smaller molecular weight products. Duringthis process, coke tends to accumulate on the catalyst which is burnedoff in the regenerator.

It has been recognized that due to environmental concerns and newlyenacted rules and regulations, saleable petroleum products must meetlower and lower limits on contaminates, such as sulfur and nitrogen. Newregulations require essentially complete removal of sulfur from liquidhydrocarbons that are used in transportation fuels, such as gasoline anddiesel.

The least valuable product from an FCC process is slurry oil which iswithdrawn from the bottom of the FCC main fractionation column andburned as fuel. The slurry oil comprises the heaviest product mixed withcatalyst particles that have not been successfully removed from the FCCproducts. LCO is also produced in an FCC unit and can be directed to thediesel pool. However, LCO may degrade the quality of the diesel pool dueto its high aromaticity and low cetane value. The slurry oil is lessvaluable than LCO. Due to operational constraints of the FCC mainfractionation column, the slurry oil leaves the main fractionator withan appreciable amount of hydrocarbons in the boiling range of LCO and asmall amount in the boiling range of gasoline. Heavy cycle oil (HCO) isan FCC liquid stream pumped around to cool the main fractionation columnbut is not often recovered from the main fractionation column.

Hydroprocessing is a process that contacts a selected feedstock andhydrogen-containing gas with suitable catalyst(s) in a reaction vesselunder conditions of elevated temperature and pressure. Hydrotreating isa hydroprocessing process in which heteroatoms such as sulfur andnitrogen are removed from hydrocarbon streams to meet fuelspecifications and to saturate olefinic and aromatic compounds.Hydroprocessing is also used to prepare fresh hydrocarbon feed for FCCprocessing by demetallizing the FCC feed. Metals, vanadium and nickel,in the FCC feed can deactivate the FCC catalyst during the FCC process.

The demand for diesel has increased over gasoline in recent years.Increased recovery of LCO produced in an FCC unit can be directed to thediesel pool and augment diesel production. Further conversion of the HCOto LCO and other motor fuel products would also be desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

We have discovered a process and apparatus for heating slurry oil beforefeeding it to a vacuum separator to recover greater cycle oil materialfor recycle to the FCC unit.

In an process embodiment, the invention comprises a process forcatalytically cracking hydrocarbons comprising feeding a hydrocarbonfeed stream to an FCC reactor. The hydrocarbon feed stream is contactedwith catalyst to catalytically crack the hydrocarbon feed stream toprovide a cracked stream. The catalyst is disengaged from the crackedstream. The cracked stream is fractionated into products including aslurry oil stream from a bottom of a main fractionation column. Theslurry oil stream is heated and separated into a cycle oil stream and aheavy stream under vacuum pressure.

In an apparatus embodiment, the invention comprises an apparatus forcatalytically cracking hydrocarbons comprising an FCC reactor forcontacting a hydrocarbon feed stream with catalyst to provide a crackedstream. A main fractionation column is in downstream communication withthe FCC reactor for fractionating the cracked stream into productsincluding a slurry oil stream. A slurry heater is in downstreamcommunication with a main outlet in a bottom of the main fractionationcolumn for heating the slurry oil stream. A vacuum separator is indownstream communication with the slurry heater for separating theheated slurry oil stream into a cycle oil stream and a heavy streamunder vacuum pressure.

Advantageously, the process and apparatus can enable the FCC unit torecycle more of a lower value, cracked product stream to the FCC unit toproduce more of the higher value, cracked products.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the description of the invention, figure and claims providedherein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of an FCC unit.

FIG. 2 is a plot of LCO selectivity as a function of coke on recyclecatalyst.

DEFINITIONS

The term “communication” means that material flow is operativelypermitted between enumerated components.

The term “downstream communication” means that at least a portion ofmaterial flowing to the subject in downstream communication mayoperatively flow from the object with which it communicates.

The term “upstream communication” means that at least a portion of thematerial flowing from the subject in upstream communication mayoperatively flow to the object with which it communicates.

The term “direct communication” means that flow from the upstreamcomponent enters the downstream component without undergoing acompositional change due to physical fractionation or chemicalconversion.

The term “bypass” means that the object is out of downstreamcommunication with a bypassing subject at least to the extent ofbypassing.

The term “column” means a distillation column or columns for separatingone or more components of different volatilities. Unless otherwiseindicated, each column includes a condenser on an overhead of the columnto condense and reflux a portion of an overhead stream back to the topof the column and a reboiler at a bottom of the column to vaporize andsend a portion of a bottoms stream back to the bottom of the column.Feeds to the columns may be preheated. The top pressure is the pressureof the overhead vapor at the vapor outlet of the column. The bottomtemperature is the liquid bottom outlet temperature. Overhead lines andbottoms lines refer to the net lines from the column downstream of anyreflux or reboil to the column. Stripping columns omit a reboiler at abottom of the column and instead provide heating requirements andseparation impetus from a fluidized inert media such as steam.

As used herein, the term “True Boiling Point” (TBP) or “TBP method”means a test method for determining the boiling point of a materialwhich corresponds to ASTM D-2892 for the production of a liquefied gas,distillate fractions, and residuum of standardized quality on whichanalytical data can be obtained, and the determination of yields of theabove fractions by both mass and volume from which a graph oftemperature versus mass % distilled is produced using fifteentheoretical plates in a column with a 5:1 reflux ratio.

As used herein, the term “T5” or “T95” means the temperature at which 5volume percent or 95 volume percent, as the case may be, respectively,of the sample boils using ASTM D-86.

As used herein, the term “initial boiling point” (IBP) means thetemperature at which the sample begins to boil using ASTM D-86.

As used herein, the term “end point” (EP) means the temperature at whichthe sample has all boiled off using ASTM D-86.

As used herein, the term “diesel cut point” is between about 343° C.(650° F.) and about 399° C. (750° F.) using the TBP method.

As used herein, the term “diesel boiling range” means hydrocarbonsboiling in the range of between about 132° C. (270° F.) and the dieselcut point using the TBP method.

As used herein, the term “diesel conversion” means conversion of feedthat boils above the diesel cut point to material that boils at or belowthe diesel cut point in the diesel boiling range.

As used herein, the term “separator” means a vessel which has an inletand at least an overhead vapor outlet and a bottoms liquid outlet andmay also have an aqueous stream outlet from a boot. A flash drum is atype of separator which may be in downstream communication with aseparator that may be operated at higher pressure.

As used herein, the term “predominant” or “predominate” means greaterthan 50%, suitably greater than 75% and preferably greater than 90%.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1, wherein like numerals designate like components, illustrates anapparatus and process 8 that is equipped for processing a freshhydrocarbon feed stream. The apparatus and process 8 generally includean FCC unit 10, a hydroprocessing unit 30, a hydroprocessing separationsection 50, an FCC recovery section 90 and a vacuum recovery section190.

The FCC unit 10 includes an FCC reactor 12 comprising a riser 20 and acatalyst regenerator 14. The fresh hydrocarbon feed stream may first beprocessed in the hydroprocessing unit 30. A conventional FCC feedstockand higher boiling hydrocarbon feedstock are suitable fresh hydrocarbonfeed streams. The most common of such conventional fresh hydrocarbonfeedstocks is a “vacuum gas oil” (VGO), which is typically a hydrocarbonmaterial having a boiling range with an IBP of at least about 232° C.(450° F.), a T5 of at least about 288° C. (550° F.) to about 343° C.(650° F.), a T95 between about 510° C. (950° F.) and about 570° C.(1058° F.) and an EP of no more than about 626° C. (1158° F.) preparedby vacuum fractionation of atmospheric residue. Such a fraction isgenerally low in coke precursors and heavy metal contamination which canserve to contaminate catalyst. Atmospheric residue is a preferredfeedstock boiling with an IBP of at least about 315° C. (600° F.), a T5between about 340° C. (644° F.) and about 360° C. (680° F.) and a T95 ofbetween about 700° C. (1292° F.) and about 900° C. (1652° F.) obtainedfrom the bottoms of an atmospheric crude distillation column.Atmospheric residue is generally high in coke precursors and metalcontamination. Other heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks which may serve asfresh hydrocarbon feed include heavy bottoms from crude oil, heavybitumen crude oil, shale oil, tar sand extract, deasphalted residue,products from coal liquefaction, and vacuum reduced crudes. Freshhydrocarbon feedstocks also include mixtures of the above hydrocarbonsand the foregoing list is not exhaustive.

Upstream of the FCC unit 10, a fresh hydrocarbon feed stream ishydroprocessed in a hydroprocessing unit 30. The hydroprocessing unit 30may comprise a first hydroprocessing zone 60 and a secondhydroprocessing zone 70. In the hydroprocessing unit 30, fourhydroprocessing sections 63, 64, 65 and 66 are shown. More or lesshydroprocessing sections may be used, and each hydroprocessing zone 60,70 may comprise a part or one or more hydroprocessing sections. Eachhydroprocessing section 63-66 may comprise part of or one or morecatalyst beds. In an embodiment, each hydroprocessing section 63-66comprises a catalyst bed. Each hydroprocessing section 63-66 may be oneof a demetallization section, a denitrification section, adesulfurization section and an aromatic saturation section.

The fresh hydrocarbon feed stream in a fresh feed line 62 may be mixedwith hydrogen from hydrogen line 69 and the mixed fresh hydrocarbon feedstream be fed to the first hydroprocessing zone 60 through a first inlet62 i of the hydroprocessing unit 30. The first inlet 62 i is indownstream communication with a source of the fresh hydrocarbon feedstream such as a fresh feed tank 61. Water may be added to the freshfeed in line 62. The fresh feed may also be heated in a fired heaterbefore entering the first hydroprocessing zone 60. The firsthydroprocessing zone 60 may be a hydroprocessing catalyst bed in ahydroprocessing reactor vessel 68 or it may be a hydroprocessing reactorvessel 68 comprising one or more hydroprocessing catalyst beds. In FIG.1, the first hydroprocessing zone 60 may comprise three hydroprocessingsections 63, 64 and 65 comprising three beds of hydroprocessing catalystin a hydroprocessing reactor vessel 68.

Suitable hydroprocessing catalysts for use in the hydroprocessingsections 63, 64 and 65 are any known conventional hydrotreatingcatalysts and include those which are comprised of at least one GroupVIII metal, preferably iron, cobalt and nickel, more preferably nickeland/or cobalt and at least one Group VI metal, preferably molybdenum andtungsten, on a high surface area support material, preferably alumina.It is within the scope of the present invention that more than one typeof hydrotreating catalyst be used in the same reaction vessel orcatalyst bed. The Group VIII metal is typically present in an amountranging from about 1 to about 10 wt %, preferably from about 2 to about5 wt %. The Group VI metal will typically be present in an amountranging from about 1 to about 20 wt %, preferably from about 2 to about10 wt %.

Any of the hydroprocessing sections 63-66 may be a demetallizationsection, a denitrogenation section, a desulfurization section or anaromatic saturation section. The first hydroprocessing zone 60 mayinclude the first hydroprocessing section 63. In an embodiment, thefirst hydroprocessing section 63 may comprise a demetallization sectionthat may include a hydrodemetallization catalyst comprising cobalt andmolybdenum on gamma alumina. When the first hydroprocessing section 63is a demetallization section it is intended to demetallize the freshhydrocarbon feed stream, so to reduce the metals concentration in thefresh feed stream by about 55 to about 100 wt % and typically about 65to about 95 wt % to produce a first demetallized effluent stream exitingthe demetallization, first hydroprocessing section 63. The metal contentof the demetallized effluent stream may be less than about 200 wppm andpreferably between about 5 and about 75 wppm. The first hydroprocessingzone 60 may also denitrogenate and/or desulfurize the fresh hydrocarbonstream in fresh feed line 62. In this embodiment, the demetallizedeffluent stream may exit the first hydroprocessing section 63 and enterthe second hydroprocessing section 64.

The first hydroprocessing zone 60 may include the second hydroprocessingsection 64. In an embodiment, the second hydroprocessing section 64 maycomprise a denitrogenation section that may include ahydrodenitrogenation catalyst which may comprise nickel and molybdenumon gamma alumina to convert organic nitrogen to ammonia. Thedenitrogenation section reduces the nitrogen concentration in the freshfeed stream by about 55 to about 100 wt % and typically about 65 toabout 95 wt % to produce a denitrogenated effluent stream exiting thedenitrogenation section. In this embodiment, the denitrogenated effluentstream may exit the second hydroprocessing section 64 and enter thethird hydroprocessing section 65.

The first hydroprocessing zone 60 may include the third hydroprocessingsection 65. In an embodiment the third hydroprocessing section maycomprise a desulfurization section comprising a hydrodesulfurizationcatalyst which may comprise cobalt and molybdenum on gamma alumina toconvert organic sulfur to hydrogen sulfide. The hydrodesulfurizationcatalyst may also be able to saturate aromatics to naphthenes. Thedesulfurization section reduces the sulfur concentration in the freshfeed stream by about 55 to about 100 wt % and typically about 65 toabout 95 wt % to produce a desulfurized effluent stream exiting thedesulfurization section 65. In this embodiment, the desulfurizedeffluent may exit the third hydroprocessing section 65.

It is contemplated that the first hydroprocessing zone 60 comprise one,two or all of the hydroprocessing sections 62, 63 and 64 to optionallydemetallize and denitrogenate the fresh feed stream and optionally,demetallize, denitrogenate and desulfurize the fresh feed stream infresh feed line 62. Preferably, the first hydroprocessing zone 60comprises the hydroprocessing sections 62, 63 and 64 to demetallize,denitrogenate and desulfurize the fresh feed stream 62.

The first hydroprocessed effluent may leave the first hydroprocessingzone 60 through outlet 71 o. The outlet 710 from the firsthydroprocessing zone 60 may be the outlet in the bottom of the lasthydroprocessing section 63, 64 or 65. In FIG. 1, the outlet 710 is inthe last hydroprocessing section 65 in the first hydroprocessing zone60. A portion of the first hydroprocessed effluent in a first effluentline 71 may be fed to the riser 20 of the FCC reactor 12 to be contactedwith catalyst and provide a cracked stream, so the riser 20 and the FCCreactor 12 may be in downstream communication with the first outlet 71o. In such an embodiment, the first hydroprocessed effluent would betransported to the hydroprocessing separation section 50, in an aspectto a hot separator 52, so that a portion of the first hydroprocessedeffluent would be directed to the FCC reactor 12 while bypassing asecond hydroprocessing zone 70. In such an embodiment, the firsteffluent line 71 transports the first hydroprocessing effluent stream toa hydroprocessing recovery feed line 81 regulated by a control valve onthe first effluent line 71. Accordingly, when the control valve on thefirst effluent line 71 is open, at least a portion of the firsthydroprocessing effluent stream in line 71 bypasses the secondhydroprocessing zone 70 and enters into the hydroprocessing recoveryzone 50. In such an embodiment, the second hydroprocessing zone 70 isout of downstream communication with the first outlet 710 of the firsthydroprocessing zone 60.

An imperforate barrier 74 shown in phantom may optionally be installedbetween the first hydroprocessing zone 60 and the second hydroprocessingzone 70 to prevent the first hydroprocessing effluent from mixing withthe recycle cracked stream in line 110. The imperforate barrier 74 mayisolate the first outlet 710 from the second inlet 110 i.

In another embodiment of FIG. 1, at least a portion of the firsthydroprocessed effluent stream is fed to the second hydroprocessing zone70, so the second hydroprocessing zone 70 is in downstream communicationwith the first outlet 710 of the first hydroprocessing zone 60. In suchan embodiment, the control valve on the first effluent line 71 is atleast partially closed, and at least a portion or all of the firsthydroprocessed effluent stream may pass from the first hydroprocessingzone 60 to the second hydroprocessing zone 70. As shown in FIG. 1, thefirst hydroprocessed effluent passes from the third hydroprocessingsection 65 in the first hydroprocessing zone 60 to the fourthhydroprocessing section 66 in the second hydroprocessing zone 70 whenthe imperforate barrier 74 is not used. If an imperforate barrier 74 isused, at least a portion or all of the first hydroprocessed effluent maypass from the first hydroprocessing zone 60 to the secondhydroprocessing zone 70 through an optional return line 76 shown inphantom with a control valve thereon shown in phantom open and thecontrol valve on the first effluent line 71 at least partially closed.

A recycle cracked stream to be described hereinafter in a recycle line110 may be fed to the hydroprocessing unit 30. In an embodiment, therecycle cracked stream may be fed to the second hydroprocessing zone 70through a second inlet 110 i. In an embodiment, at least a portion ofthe first hydroprocessed effluent stream from the first hydroprocessingzone may also be fed to the second hydroprocessing zone 70 with therecycle cracked stream. As shown in FIG. 1, the recycle cracked streampasses to the fourth hydroprocessing section 66 in the secondhydroprocessing zone 70 through the second inlet 110 i. It iscontemplated that gases such as hydrogen sulfide and ammonia may beremoved from the first hydroprocessed effluent stream before enteringthe second hydroprocessing zone 70, but this may not be necessary.

The recycle cracked stream may be mixed with hydrogen from an optionalhydrogen line 73 and the mixed recycle cracked stream may be fed to thesecond hydroprocessing zone 70 through the second inlet 110 i.Sufficient hydrogen may be present in the first hydroprocessed effluentto make the optional hydrogen line 73 unnecessary. If gases are removedfrom the first hydroprocessed effluent before it is fed to the secondhydroprocessing zone 70 or if the first hydroprocessed effluent is notfed to the second hydroprocessing zone 70, hydrogen will need to beadded to the recycle cracked stream in line 73.

The second hydroprocessing zone 70 may include the fourthhydroprocessing section 66. In an embodiment, the fourth hydroprocessingsection 66 may comprise an aromatic saturation catalyst. The aromaticsaturation catalyst may comprise nickel and tungsten on gamma alumina.The second hydroprocessing zone 70 may also comprise an additionalhydroprocessing section to desulfurize the recycle cracked stream andoptionally at least a portion of the first hydroprocessed effluentstream upstream of the hydroprocessing section 66, but this is notshown.

The second hydroprocessing zone 70 may be a part of or one or morehydroprocessing catalyst beds in a hydroprocessing reactor vessel 68 orit may be an additional hydroprocessing reactor vessel comprising one ormore hydroprocessing catalyst beds. In FIG. 1, the secondhydroprocessing zone 70 is in the hydroprocessing reactor vessel 68which contains all four hydroprocessing sections 63, 64, 65, 66comprising beds of hydroprocessing catalyst. It is also contemplatedthat the first hydroprocessing zone 60 and the second hydroprocessingzone 70 be contained in the same reactor vessel 68 or in differentvessels.

Suitable aromatic saturation catalysts for use in the aromaticsaturation section in the second hydroprocessing zone 70 may be anyknown conventional hydrotreating catalysts and include those which arecomprised of at least one Group VIII metal, preferably iron, cobalt andnickel, more preferably nickel and/or cobalt and at least one Group VImetal, preferably molybdenum and tungsten, on a support material whichmay have a surface area ranging between about 120 and about 270 m²/g,preferably alumina. Other suitable aromatic saturation catalysts includenoble metal catalysts where the noble metal is selected from palladiumand platinum and unsupported multi-metallic catalysts. If a noble metalcatalyst is used, hydrogen sulfide and ammonia gases will most likelyhave to be removed from the first hydroprocessed effluent before it isfed to the aromatic saturation section or only the recycle crackedstream can be fed to the fourth hydroprocessing section. More than onetype of hydrotreating catalyst may be used in the same reaction vesselor catalyst bed. The Group VIII metal is typically present in thecatalyst in an amount ranging from about 1 to about 10 wt %, preferablyfrom about 2 to about 5 wt %. The Group VI metal will typically bepresent in the catalyst in an amount ranging from about 1 to about 20 wt%, preferably from about 2 to about 10 wt %.

About 75 to about 95 wt % of the hydroprocessing catalyst in thehydroprocessing unit 30 including the first hydroprocessing zone 60 andthe second hydroprocessing zone 70 will be in the first hydroprocessingzone 60. About 5 to about 25 wt % of the hydroprocessing catalyst in thehydroprocessing unit 30 will be in the second hydroprocessing zone 70.The hydroprocessing catalyst in the second hydroprocessing zone 70 willbe more active than the hydroprocessing catalyst in the firsthydroprocessing zone 60.

The second hydroprocessing zone 70 may saturate aromatic rings in thefeed to enable them to be cracked in the FCC unit 10 to make highquality diesel and gasoline while preserving a single ring to producesingle ring aromatic compounds and light olefins. The secondhydroprocessing zone 70 produces a second hydroprocessed effluent streamin a second effluent line 80 exiting the second hydroprocessing zonethrough a second outlet 80 o.

The first hydroprocessing zone 60 may be loaded with a greater fractionof hydrodemetallization catalyst, typically in the hydroprocessingsection 63, than the second hydroprocessing zone 70. Accordingly, morehydrodemetallization occurs in the first hydroprocessing zone 60 than inthe second hydroprocessing zone 70. However, the second hydroprocessingzone 70 is loaded with a greater fraction of aromatic saturationcatalyst than the first hydroprocessing zone 60, typically in thehydroprocessing section 66, so more aromatic saturation occurs in thesecond hydroprocessing zone 70 than in the first hydroprocessing zone60. The first hydroprocessing zone 60 may be loaded with a greaterfraction of hydrodenitrogenation catalyst, typically in thehydroprocessing section 64, than the second hydroprocessing zone 70.Accordingly, more hydrodenitrogenation occurs in the firsthydroprocessing zone 60 than in the second hydroprocessing zone 70. Thesecond hydroprocessing zone 70 may be loaded with a greater fraction ofhydrodesulfurization catalyst than the first hydroprocessing zone 60,typically in the hydroprocessing section 65, so morehydrodesulfurization occurs in the second hydroprocessing zone 70 thanin the first hydroprocessing zone 60.

Suitable hydroprocessing reaction conditions in the firsthydroprocessing zone 60 and the second hydroprocessing zone 70 include atemperature from about 204° C. (400° F.) to about 399° C. (750° F.),suitably between about 360° C. (680° F.) to about 382° C. (720° F.) andpreferably between about 366° C. (690° F.) to about 377° C. (710° F.), apressure from about 3.5 MPa (500 psig), preferably 6.9 MPa (1000 psig),to about 20.7 MPa (gauge) (3000 psig) and preferably no more than 17.9MPa (gauge) (2600 psig) in both the first hydroprocessing zone 60 andthe second hydroprocessing zone 70, a liquid hourly space velocity ofthe fresh hydrocarbonaceous feedstock from about 0.1 hr⁻¹ to about 10hr⁻¹ in each hydroprocessing zone. The conditions in the secondhydroprocessing zone 70 are set to be less severe so as to predominantlyhydrotreat, specifically saturate aromatic rings, instead ofhydrocracking aromatic rings in the second hydroprocessing zone 70. Itis preferred to crack aromatic rings in the FCC unit 10 to produce moreolefinic products.

A hydroprocessing separation section 50 may be provided in downstreamcommunication with the hydroprocessing unit 30, the second effluent line80 and/or the first effluent line 71. The hydroprocessing separationsection 50 separates hydroprocessed products from the secondhydroprocessed effluent stream to provide to the FCC reactor 12 an FCCfeed stream which constitutes a portion of the second hydroprocessedeffluent stream in the second effluent line 80. If the firsthydroprocessed effluent stream in the first effluent line 71 bypassesthe second hydroprocessing zone 70 without undergoing hydroprocessing inthe second hydroprocessing zone 70, the first hydroprocessed effluentmay also enter the hydroprocessing separation section 50 with the secondhydroprocessed effluent stream in a hot separator feed line 81.

The second hydroprocessed effluent stream in the hot separator feed line81 from the second effluent line 80 may be cooled and separated in a hotseparator 52. In an aspect, the first hydroprocessed effluent stream inthe first effluent line 71 that bypasses the second hydroprocessing zone70 may also enter the hot separator 52 in the hot separator feed line81. The bypassing first hydroprocessed effluent stream and the secondhydroprocessed effluent stream may enter the hot separator 52 togetheror separately. The hot separator 52 separates the second hydroprocessedeffluent and perhaps the bypassing, first hydroprocessed effluent toprovide a vaporous hydrocarbonaceous hot separator overhead stream in anoverhead line 54 and a liquid hydrocarbonaceous hot separator bottomsstream in a bottoms line 56. The hot separator 52 is in directdownstream communication with the second hydroprocessing zone 70 and maybe in direct downstream communication with the first hydroprocessingzone 60. The hot separator 52 operates at about 177° C. (350° F.) toabout 371° C. (700° F.). The hot separator 52 may be operated at aslightly lower pressure than the second hydroprocessing zone 70accounting for pressure drop of intervening equipment.

The vaporous hydrocarbonaceous hot separator overhead stream in theoverhead line 54 may be cooled before entering a cold separator 58. Toprevent deposition of ammonium bisulfide or ammonium chloride salts inthe line 54 transporting the hot separator overhead stream, a suitableamount of wash water (not shown) may be introduced into line 54.

The cold separator 58 serves to separate hydrogen from hydrocarbon inthe hydroprocessing effluent for recycle to the first hydroprocessingzone 60 and/or the second hydroprocessing zone 70 in lines 69 and 73,respectively. The vaporous hydrocarbonaceous hot separator overheadstream may be separated in the cold separator 58 to provide a vaporouscold separator overhead stream comprising a hydrogen-rich gas stream inan overhead line 120 and a liquid cold separator bottoms stream in thebottoms line 122. The cold separator 58, therefore, is in downstreamcommunication with the overhead line 54 of the hot separator 52 and thesecond hydroprocessing zone 70. The cold separator 58 may be operated atabout 100° F. (38° C.) to about 150° F. (66° C.) and just below thepressure of the second hydroprocessing zone 70 and the hot separator 52accounting for pressure drop of intervening equipment to keep hydrogenand light gases in the overhead and normally liquid hydrocarbons in thebottoms. The cold separator 58 may also have a boot for collecting anaqueous phase in line 124.

The liquid hydrocarbonaceous stream in the hot separator bottoms line 56may be let down in pressure and flashed in a hot flash drum 126 toprovide a hot flash overhead stream of light ends in an overhead line128 and a heavy liquid stream in a hot flash bottoms line 130. The hotflash drum 126 may be operated at the same temperature as the hotseparator 52 but at a lower pressure. The heavy liquid stream in bottomsline 130 may be stripped in a hydroprocessing stripping column 150 toremove hydrogen sulfide and ammonia.

In an aspect, the liquid hydroprocessing effluent stream in the coldseparator bottoms line 122 may be let down in pressure and flashed in acold flash drum 134. The cold flash drum may be in downstreamcommunication with a bottoms line 122 of the cold separator 58. In afurther aspect, the vaporous hot flash overhead stream in overhead line128 may be cooled and also separated in the cold flash drum 134. Thecold flash drum 134 may separate the cold separator liquid bottomsstream in line 122 and hot flash vaporous overhead stream in overheadline 128 to provide a cold flash overhead stream of light ends inoverhead line 136 and a cold flash bottoms stream in a bottoms line 138.The cold flash bottoms stream in bottoms line 138 may be introduced tothe hydroprocessing stripping column 150. In an aspect, thehydroprocessing stripping column 150 may be in downstream communicationwith the cold flash bottoms line 138 and the cold flash drum 134.

The cold flash drum 134 may be in downstream communication with thebottoms line 122 of the cold separator 58, the overhead line 128 of thehot flash drum 126 and the second hydroprocessing zone 70. In an aspect,the hot flash overhead line 128 joins the cold separator bottoms line122 which feeds the hot flash overhead stream and the cold separatorbottoms stream together to the cold flash drum 134. The cold flash drum134 may be operated at the same temperature as the cold separator 58 buttypically at a lower pressure. The aqueous stream in line 124 from theboot of the cold separator may also be directed to the cold flash drum134. A flashed aqueous stream is removed from a boot in the cold flashdrum 134.

The vaporous cold separator overhead stream comprising hydrogen in theoverhead line 120 is rich in hydrogen. The cold separator overheadstream in overhead line 120 may be passed through a scrubbing tower 140to remove hydrogen sulfide and ammonia by use of an absorbent such as anamine absorbent. The scrubbed hydrogen-rich stream may be compressed ina recycle compressor 142 to provide a recycle hydrogen stream andsupplemented with make-up hydrogen stream from line 144 in line 146 toprovide the hydrogen stream in hydrogen lines 69 and 73.

The hydroprocessing stripping column 150 may be in downstreamcommunication with the hot separator 52 and the cold separator 58 and indirect, downstream communication with the cold flash drum 134 and thehot flash drum 126 for stripping portions of the second hydroprocessingeffluent stream. The hydroprocessing stripping column 150 strips gasesfrom the cold flash bottoms stream 138 and the hot flash bottoms stream130 by use of a stripping media such as steam from line 152. The coldflash bottoms stream 138 may enter the hydroprocessing fractionationcolumn 150 at a higher elevation than the hot flash bottoms stream 130.The hydroprocessing stripping column 150 may produce an overheadstripping stream in overhead line 154. The overhead stripping stream maybe condensed and separated in a receiver with a portion of the condensedliquid being refluxed back to the hydroprocessing stripping column 150.The hydroprocessing stripping column 150 may be operated with a bottomstemperature between about 232° (450° F.) and about 288° C. (550° F.) andan overhead pressure of about 690 kPa (gauge) (100 psig) to about 1034kPa (gauge) (150 psig). The stripped bottoms stream in stripped bottomsline 159 is heated and fed to the prefractionation column 160.

The prefractionation column 160 may be in downstream communication withthe hydroprocessing stripping column 150 and the second hydroprocessingzone 70 and, optionally, the first hydroprocessing zone 60 forseparating portions of the first hydroprocessing effluent and the secondhydroprocessing effluent into product streams and an FCC feed stream byfractionation. The hydroprocessing prefractionation column 160fractionates the stripped bottoms stream 159 by use of a stripping mediasuch as steam from line 162. The product streams produced by thehydroprocessing prefractionation column 160 may include an overhead LPGstream in overhead line 164, a naphtha stream in line 166, a dieselstream carried in line 168 from a side outlet and an FCC feed streamfrom a bottoms outlet 170 o may be supplied to an FCC feed line 170which may be fed to the FCC unit 10. An overhead stream may be condensedand separated in a receiver with a portion of the condensed liquid beingrefluxed back to the hydroprocessing prefractionation column 160. Thenet naphtha stream in line 166 may require further processing such as ina naphtha splitter column before blending in the gasoline pool. Theprefractionation column 160 may be operated with a bottoms temperaturebetween about 288° C. (550° F.) and about 370° C. (700° F.) and at anoverhead pressure between about 30 kPa (gauge) (4 psig) to about 200 kPa(gauge) (29 psig).

The net naphtha stream preferably has an initial boiling point (IBP) inthe C₅ range; i.e., between about 0° C. (32° F.) and about 35° C. (95°F.), and an end point (EP) at a temperature greater than or equal toabout 127° C. (260° F.). An optional heavy naphtha fraction has an IBPjust above about 127° C. (260° F.) and an EP at a temperature aboveabout 204° C. (400° F.), preferably between about 200° C. (392° F.) andabout 221° C. (430° F.). The diesel stream has an IBP in the C₅ range ifno heavy naphtha cut is taken or at about the EP temperature of theheavy naphtha if a heavy naphtha cut is taken and an EP in a range ofabout 360° C. (680° F.) to about 382° C. (720° F.). The diesel streammay have a T5 in the range of about 213° C. (416° F.) to about 244° C.(471° F.) and a T95 in the range of about 354° C. (669° F.) to about377° C. (710° F.). The FCC feed stream has an IBP just above the EPtemperature of the diesel stream and an EP in a range of about 510° C.(950° F.) to about 927° C. (1700° F.). The FCC feed stream may have a T5in the range of about 332° C. (630° F.) to about 349° C. (660° F.) and aT95 in the range of about 510° C. (950° F.) to about 900° C. (1652° F.)and includes everything boiling at a higher temperature.

The FIG. 1 shows a typical FCC unit 10 in downstream communication withthe hydroprocessing unit 30. Additionally, the FCC unit is downstreamcommunication with the hydroprocessing separation section 50 andspecifically the bottom outlet 170 o of the prefractionation column 160,the second outlet 80 o of the second hydroprocessing zone 70 andoptionally, the first outlet 710 of the first hydroprocessing zone 60.In the FCC unit 10 a portion of the second hydroprocessed effluentstream comprising the FCC feed stream in the FCC feed line 170 is fed tothe FCC reactor 12 to be contacted with a regenerated cracking catalyst.Specifically, in an embodiment, regenerated cracking catalyst enteringfrom a regenerator conduit 18 is contacted with the FCC feed streamcomprising a portion of the second hydroprocessed effluent in a riser 20of the FCC reactor 12. The regenerator conduit 18 is in downstreamcommunication with the regenerator 14. The riser 20 has an inlet 18 i indownstream communication with said regenerator conduit 18. Theregenerator conduit 18 is connected to the FCC riser 20 at a lower end.

Ensuring that the cracking catalyst has sufficient coke on catalyst whenit contacts the hydroprocessed feed stream will operate to maximize theyield of diesel in the FCC product. Increasing coke on catalyst can beachieved by recycling spent catalyst that has not undergone regenerationto the FCC reactor. In an aspect, spent cracking catalyst entering froma recycle catalyst conduit 19 is contacted with the FCC feed streamcomprising a portion of the second hydroprocessed effluent in a riser 20of the FCC reactor 12 without the spent catalyst undergoingregeneration. The spent catalyst will increase the coke concentration ofcatalyst in the FCC reactor 12.

The recycle of spent catalyst through the recycle catalyst conduit canalso be used to increase the ratio of catalyst-to-oil in the reactor toa total catalyst-to-oil ratio of about 8 to about 20 and preferablyabout 11 to about 18. We have found that coke on recycled catalystbetween 0.7 and about 1.1 and preferably above 0.99 can increaseselectivity to LCO from the FCC reactor 12 by up to 2.2 wt %. By usingspent catalyst recycle, the fraction of spent catalyst recycled to theriser can comprise between about 10 and about 50 wt % of the catalyst inthe riser 20 of the FCC reactor 12, preferably between about 13 andabout 48 wt %. The average coke on the blend of spent and regeneratedcatalyst in the riser 20 may range between about 0.1 and about 0.6 wt %,preferably between about 0.1 and about 0.5 wt %. The recycle conduit 19is in downstream communication with a riser outlet 20 o. A riser inlet20 i is in downstream communication with the recycle conduit 19 at anoutlet end of the recycle conduit 19. The recycle conduit 19 isconnected to the riser 20 at the outlet end of the recycle conduit. Therecycle conduit 19 bypasses the regenerator 14 by being in downstreamcommunication with the riser outlet 20 o and the riser inlet 20 i beingin direct, downstream communication with the recycle conduit.Consequently, spent catalyst entering the recycle conduit 19 passes backto the riser 20 before any of it enters the regenerator 14. The recycleconduit 19 has no direct communication with the regenerator 14.

Due to the high flow rate of catalyst in the riser 20, protrusions 21may be installed on a wall of the riser extending inwardly into theriser to urge catalyst away from the wall of the riser toward the centerof the riser where the feed may be more concentrated.

A portion of the first hydroprocessed effluent stream in the firsthydroprocessed effluent line 71 may also be fed to the FCC reactor 12.Specifically, in an embodiment, the regenerated cracking catalyst andoptionally the spent cracking catalyst is contacted with a portion ofthe second hydroprocessed effluent in a riser 20 of the FCC reactor 12.In such case, a portion of the first hydroprocessed effluent stream maybe fed to the riser 20 of the FCC reactor 12 in the FCC feed stream aspart of the second hydroprocessed effluent stream in the secondhydroprocessed effluent line 80 or a portion of the first hydroprocessedeffluent may be fed to the riser 20 of the FCC reactor 12 afterbypassing the second hydroprocessing zone 70 altogether. Portions of thefirst hydroprocessing effluent stream and the second hydroprocessingeffluent stream may be fed to the riser 20 through the same or differentdistributors 16. In the riser 20 of the FCC reactor 12, the FCC feedstream comprising portions of the first hydroprocessed effluent streamand the second hydroprocessed effluent stream are contacted withcatalyst to catalytically crack the FCC feed stream to provide a crackedstream.

The contacting of the first hydroprocessed effluent stream and thesecond hydroprocessed effluent stream with cracking catalyst may occurin the riser 20 of the FCC reactor 12, extending upwardly to the bottomof a reactor vessel 22. The contacting of feed and catalyst is fluidizedby gas from a fluidizing line 24. Heat from the catalyst vaporizes thefirst hydroprocessed effluent stream and the second hydroprocessedeffluent stream, and the hydroprocessed effluent streams are thereaftercracked to lighter molecular weight hydrocarbons in the presence of thecracking catalyst as both are transferred up the riser 20 into thereactor vessel 22. In the FCC reactor 12, saturated naphthenic rings arecracked open and alkyl substituents are cracked from aromatic rings toprovide olefinic, aliphatic hydrocarbons in addition to catalyticcracking of the FCC feed stream to conventional cracked products such asgasoline and diesel. The cracked stream of hydrocarbon products andspent catalyst in the riser 20 are thereafter discharged from the riseroutlet 20 o into a disengaging chamber 27 which contains the riseroutlet. The cracked stream of hydrocarbon products is disengaged fromthe cracking catalyst in the disengaging chamber 27 using a rough cutseparator 26. Cyclonic separators which may include one or two stages ofcyclones 28 in the reactor vessel 22 further separate catalyst fromhydrocarbon products. A cracked stream of product gases exit the reactorvessel 22 through a product outlet 31 to line 32 for transport to adownstream FCC recovery section 90. In an embodiment, the recycleconduit 19 and the regenerator conduit 18 are in downstreamcommunication with the disengaging chamber 27. The outlet temperature ofthe cracked products leaving the riser 20 should be between about 472°C. (850° F.) and about 538° C. (1000° F.) to achieve higher selectivityto LCO and gasoline.

Inevitable side reactions occur in the riser 20 leaving coke deposits onthe catalyst that lower catalyst activity. The spent or coked catalystrequires regeneration for further use. Coked catalyst, after separationfrom the gaseous cracked product hydrocarbons, falls into a strippingsection 34 where steam is injected through a nozzle 35 and distributorto purge any residual hydrocarbon vapor. After the stripping operation,a portion of the spent catalyst is fed to the catalyst regenerator 14through a spent catalyst conduit 36. The catalyst regenerator 14 may bein downstream communication with the riser 20, specifically, the riseroutlet 20 o. Another portion of the spent catalyst is recycled throughrecycle catalyst conduit 19 to the riser 20 as previously described.

FIG. 1 depicts a regenerator 14 known as a combustor. However, othertypes of regenerators are suitable. In the catalyst regenerator 14, astream of oxygen-containing gas, such as air, is introduced from line 37through an air distributor 38 to contact the coked catalyst, burn cokedeposited thereon, and provide regenerated catalyst and flue gas.Catalyst and air flow upwardly together along a combustor riser 40located within the catalyst regenerator 14 and, after regeneration, areinitially separated by discharge through a disengager 42. Finerseparation of the regenerated catalyst and flue gas exiting thedisengager 42 is achieved using first and second stage separatorcyclones 44, 46, respectively, within the catalyst regenerator 14.Catalyst separated from flue gas dispenses through diplegs from cyclones44, 46 while flue gas significantly lighter in catalyst sequentiallyexits cyclones 44, 46 and exit the regenerator vessel 14 through fluegas outlet 47 in line 48. Regenerated catalyst is recycled back to thereactor riser 20 through the regenerated catalyst conduit 18.

As a result of the coke burning, the flue gas vapors exiting at the topof the catalyst regenerator 14 in line 48 contain CO, CO₂ and H₂O, alongwith smaller amounts of other species. Catalyst regeneration temperatureis between about 500° C. (932° F.) and about 900° C. (1652° F.). Boththe cracking and regeneration occur at an absolute pressure below about5 atmospheres.

In the FCC recovery section 90, a recycle cracked stream is separatedfrom the cracked stream. The gaseous cracked stream in line 32 is fed toa lower section of an FCC main fractionation column 92. The mainfractionation column 92 is in downstream communication with the riser 20and the FCC reactor 12. Several fractions may be separated and takenfrom the main fractionation column 92 including a heavy slurry oilstream from a bottom outlet 93 o in line 93, a HCO stream in line 94, aLCO stream in line 95 and an optional heavy naphtha stream in line 98.Gasoline and gaseous light hydrocarbons are removed in overhead line 97from the main fractionation column 92 and condensed before entering amain column receiver 99. An aqueous stream is removed from a boot in thereceiver 99. Moreover, a condensed unstabilized, light naphtha stream isremoved in bottoms line 101 while a gaseous light hydrocarbon stream isremoved in overhead line 102. Both streams in lines 101 and 102 mayenter a vapor recovery section downstream of the main fractionationcolumn 92. A portion of the light naphtha stream in bottoms line 101 maybe refluxed to the main fractionation column 92.

The light unstabilized naphtha fraction preferably has an initialboiling point (IBP) in the C₅ range; i.e., between about 0° C. (32° F.)and about 35° C. (95° F.), and an end point (EP) at a temperaturegreater than or equal to about 127° C. (260° F.). The optional heavynaphtha fraction has an IBP just above about 127° C. (260° F.) and an EPat a temperature above about 204° C. (400° F.), preferably between about200° C. (392° F.) and about 221° C. (430° F.). The LCO stream has an IBPin the C₅ range if no heavy naphtha cut is taken or at about the EPtemperature of the heavy naphtha if a heavy naphtha cut is taken and anEP in a range of about 360° C. (680° F.) to about 382° C. (720° F.). TheLCO stream may have a T5 in the range of about 213° C. (416° F.) toabout 244° C. (471° F.) and a T95 in the range of about 354° C. (669°F.) to about 377° C. (710° F.). The HCO stream has an IBP just above theEP temperature of the LCO stream and an EP in a range of about 385° C.(725° F.) to about 427° C. (800° F.). The HCO stream may have a T5 inthe range of about 332° C. (630° F.) to about 349° C. (660° F.) and aT95 in the range of about 382° C. (720° F.) to about 404° C. (760° F.).The heavy slurry oil stream has an IBP just above the EP temperature ofthe HCO stream and includes everything boiling at a higher temperature.

The main fractionation column 92 has a main outlet 93 o in a bottom ofthe main fractionation column 104 from which the recycle cracked streamis taken. The second inlet 110 i to the second hydroprocessing zone 70may be in downstream communication with the main outlet 93 o. In anaspect, the second inlet 110 i may be in downstream communication withthe main outlet 93 o. The recycle cracked stream may be recycled to thehydroprocessing unit 30. In an embodiment, the recycle cracked streamcomprising a cycle oil stream may be transported to the second inlet 110i to the second hydroprocessing zone 70 in recycle line 110. The recycleline 110 is in downstream communication with said FCC reactor 10 and themain fractionation column 92, and the hydroprocessing unit 30 is indownstream communication with the recycle line 110. A portion of theslurry oil stream in line 93 may be cooled and recycled in line 91 backto the main fractionation column 92.

A lowest auxiliary outlet 94 o and a penultimate lowest outlet 95 o maybe in the side 106 of the main fractionation column 92. The recycle line110 may transport a recycle cracked stream comprising at least a portionof the HCO side stream from the lowest main outlet 94 o to the secondhydroprocessing zone 70 through the second inlet 110 i by recycle line110. If it is desired to recycle HCO to the hydroprocessing unit 30 orspecifically to the second hydroprocessing zone 70 thereof, an HCOstream is taken as a recycle cracked stream in line 94 from the lowestauxiliary outlet 94 o in the side 106 of the main fractionation column92 regulated by a control valve on line 115. When the control valve online 115 is opened, the second inlet 110 i to the second hydroprocessingzone 70 is in downstream communication with the lowest auxiliary outlet94 o. By recycling an HCO stream to the hydroprocessing unit 30 orspecifically to the second hydroprocessing zone 70 in lines 94, 115 and110, the yield of diesel and gasoline may be increased in the FCC unitover a yield that would have been obtained without recycling the HCOstream. The diesel stream may be recovered in an LCO product line 117 ata flow rate regulated by a control valve thereon and in the diesel line168 from the prefractionation column 160. In an aspect, at least 5 wt %,suitably at least 50 wt %, preferably at least 75 wt % and up to all ofthe HCO in line 95 may be recycled to the hydroprocessing unit 30 orspecifically the second hydroprocessing zone 70. In an embodiment, about5 to about 25 wt %, preferably about 10 to about 20 wt % of thehydroprocessed feed stream to the FCC unit 10 in line 170 is recycled tothe hydroprocessing unit 30 in recycle line 110.

An LCO stream is taken in line 95 from the penultimate lowest auxiliaryoutlet 95 o in the side 106 of the main fractionation column 92. An LCOproduct stream is taken in line 117 from line 95 regulated by a controlvalve on line 117. A recycle LCO stream is taken in line 116 from line95 cooled and returned to the main column 92. Any or all of lines 94-96may be cooled and pumped back to the main column 92 typically at ahigher location. Specifically, a side stream may be taken from an outlet94 o, 95 o or 96 o in the side 106 of the main fractionation column 92.The side stream may be cooled and returned to the main fractionationcolumn 92 to cool the main fractionation column 92. A heat exchanger maybe in downstream communication with the side outlet 94 o, 95 o or 96 o.

A heavy naphtha stream in line 96 may be returned to the mainfractionation column 92 after cooling while a heavy naphtha productstream is taken in line 98. Gasoline may be recovered from the lightnaphtha stream in line 101.

A vacuum recovery section 190 is provided in downstream communicationwith the main fractionation column to recover more cycle oil for recycleto the FCC unit 10. The vacuum recovery section 190 may include a vacuumseparator 200 in downstream communication with the FCC reactor 12 andthe main outlet 93 o of the main fractionation column 92 via the mainbottoms line 93. In an aspect, a slurry heater 202 such as a heatexchanger is on the main bottoms line 93 in downstream communicationwith the main bottoms line 93 and the main outlet 93 o of the mainfractionation column 92. The slurry heater 202 can be used to heat theslurry oil stream to further prepare it for separation in the vacuumseparator 200. The slurry heater 202 may heat the slurry oil stream toincrease its temperature by about 19° C. (35° F.) to about 36° C. (65°F.), preferably by about 22° C. (40° F.) to about 31° C. (55° F.), to aheated temperature of between about 382° C. (720° F.) to about 399° C.(750° F.).

The slurry heater 202 may be a heat exchanger in communication with aloop heater 204 for heating a heat exchange fluid which may be a cleanhot oil or other heating fluid. The loop heater may be an electricheater or a gas fired heater as shown in FIG. 1 which supplies the hotheating fluid to the slurry heater 202. The slurry heater 202 may be ashell and tube heat exchanger, and the slurry oil in line 93 may bepumped to a tube side 202 t of the slurry heater 202. Thus, the tubeside 202 t is in downstream communication with the main outlet 93 o. Theheated slurry oil may be routed to the vacuum separator 200 in a slurryfeed line 206. Hot oil from the loop heater 204 is routed to the shellside of the slurry heater 202. The cooler oil leaving the slurry heater202 is routed back to the loop heater 204 where it is reheated and thenrecycled back to the slurry heater 202 in a closed loop system.

The vacuum separator 200 is in downstream communication with the heater202. A feed inlet 206 i to the vacuum separator 200 for the slurry feedline 206 admits slurry oil to the separator 200.

The vacuum separator 200 may be a fractionation column with or without areboiler or it may be a simple one-stage flash separator. The vacuumseparator 200 separates the slurry oil stream into a cycle oil streamand a heavy stream under vacuum pressure of about 5 and about 25 kPa(absolute) and a bottoms temperature between about 349° C. (660° F.) andabout 377° C. (710° F.), preferably between about 354° C. (670° F.) andabout 371° C. (700° F.). The cycle oil stream may comprise at least somematerial boiling in the LCO range and/or at least some material boilingin the HCO range.

In an aspect, the cycle oil stream boiling at or below 482° C. (900° F.)is comprised in a vaporous separator overhead stream transported in aseparator overhead line 210 from a top 211 of the vacuum separator 200while the heavy stream is in a separator bottoms stream transported in aseparator bottoms line 212 from a bottom of the vacuum separator 200. Anoptional vacuum recycle line 214 may be in downstream communication withthe separator bottoms line 212 and the separator 200 may be indownstream communication with the recycle line. The vacuum recycle line214 recycles a portion of the heavy stream from the separator bottomsline 212 from a bottom of the separator 200 back to the separator 200.The vacuum recycle line 214 recycles to a recycle inlet 214 i that isabove a feed inlet 206 i of the slurry oil stream to the separator 200.The net heavy stream comprising concentrated slurry oil is removed inline 216 and can be sold as fuel oil or as feed to a coker unit or forcarbon black production.

A cooler 220 may be in downstream communication with the separatoroverhead line 210 for cooling and condensing the separator overheadstream. The condensed separator overhead stream enters a receiver 230 indownstream communication with the separator overhead line 210 from a topof the separator 200. The condensed overhead stream is separated in thereceiver 230 into the liquid cycle oil stream taken from a bottom of thereceiver 230 in a receiver bottoms line 234 and a vaporous receiveroverhead stream taken in receiver overhead line 232. The liquid cycleoil stream in the receiver bottoms line 234 is HCO rich and may compriseLCO. The liquid cycle oil stream in the receiver bottoms line 234 can betaken to a diesel pool. In an embodiment, the hydroprocessing unit 30and/or the FCC unit 10 are in downstream communication with the receiverbottoms line 234 and/or the vacuum separator overhead line 210 from atop 211 of the vacuum separator 200. The recycle line 110 takes theliquid cycle oil stream in receiver bottoms line 234 as the recyclecracked stream to the second inlet 110 i to the second hydroprocessingzone 70. The recycle line 110 may be in downstream communication withthe vacuum separator 200. The receiver 230 may be operated under vacuumpressure of about 2 and about 10 kPa (absolute) and a temperaturebetween about 37° C. (100° F.) to about 149° C. (300° F.), preferably nomore than about 121° C. (250° F.).

The cycle oil stream recovered in the receiver bottoms line 234 maycomprise about 5 to about 50 vol % and suitably about 20 to about 30 vol% of the slurry oil stream in main column bottoms line 93. Additionally,the API of the cycle oil stream in line 234 may increase 1-5 andsuitably 2-4 API numbers relative to the slurry oil stream in maincolumn bottoms line 93.

In an embodiment, if the vacuum separator 200 is a vacuum fractionationcolumn, a portion of the liquid cycle oil stream in receiver bottomsline 234 may be refluxed as a reflux stream in a reflux line 236 to thevacuum separator 200 through the reflux inlet 236 i. The reflux line 236may be in downstream communication with the receiver bottoms line 234and the vacuum separator 200, and the vacuum separator may be indownstream communication with the reflux line 236. The reflux inlet 236i to the vacuum separator 200 is for the reflux line 236 which is at ahigher elevation than the feed inlet 214 i to the separator 200 for theslurry feed line 93 and a recycle inlet 214 i to the separator 200 forthe vacuum recycle line 214. In this embodiment, a packing 238 may bedisposed in the vacuum column between the recycle inlet 214 i and thereflux inlet 236 i. Refluxing the liquid cycle oil stream to the vacuumfractionation column enables control of the end point of the liquidcycle oil stream to satisfy feed requirements to downstream units, suchas the FCC unit 10.

The vacuum separator 200 is operated at below atmospheric pressure inthe separator overhead line 210. A vacuum generation device 240 such asan eductor or a vacuum pump is in downstream communication with thereceiver overhead line 232 of the receiver 230 for pulling a vacuum onthe receiver overhead stream from the receiver 230. In an embodiment,when the vacuum generation device 240 is an eductor, the eductor may bein downstream communication with an inert gas stream 242 such as steamwhich pulls a vacuum on the receiver overhead stream in the receiveroverhead line 232. The eductor feeds the inert gas stream mixed with thereceiver overhead stream to a condenser. The condensed mixture of theinert gas stream and the receiver overhead stream exit the condenser andenter into a drain drum 250. A vaporous hydrocarbon stream in line 252from the drain drum 250 may be vented to flare or recovery. A condensedstream of sour water may also be removed from the drain drum in drumbottoms line 254 and taken to water treatment facilities for the FCCunit 10 which is not described.

EXAMPLES Example 1

In a commercial FCC unit processing 166.1 m³/h (24,319 BPD) of vacuumgas oil feed and utilizing spent catalyst recycle in which a portion ofthe spent catalyst was recycled without undergoing regeneration whilethe other portion of catalyst is regenerated to provide a regeneratedcatalyst temperature of 730° C. The riser outlet temperature was 545° C.The ratio of catalyst-to-oil which was the sum of recycle andregenerated catalyst to oil fed to the riser was modulated at differentlevels to test the effect of coke on recycled catalyst on LCOselectivity. Test conditions are shown in Table 1. LCO selectivity isthe ratio of LCO product flow rate to the sum of the product flow ratesof LCO and slurry oil. The average coke on blended catalyst is theweight ratio of coke on catalyst to the total catalyst in the riser.

TABLE 1 Coke on Recycled LCO Recycled Average coke on Catalyst,Catalyst-to- Selectivity, Catalyst in blended catalyst, wt % Oil Ratiowt % Riser, wt % wt % 0.78 10.9 64.2% 13.7 0.107 0.99 14.8 65.9% 38.50.381 1.08 17.7 66.4% 47.5 0.513

FIG. 2 is a plot of LCO selectivity as a function of coke on recycledcatalyst. The plot of FIG. 2 shows that coke on recycled catalyst ofbetween about 0.7 and about 1.1 wt % provides greater selectivity toLCO. Particularly, greater than about 0.99 and less than about 1.1 or1.2 wt % coke on recycled catalyst appears to provide a maximum LCOselectivity.

Example 2

We simulated a hydroprocessing unit upstream of an FCC unit to furtherdemonstrate the capability of the described apparatus and process withthe recycle of HCO. The simulated Base Case feeds 7,949 m³/day (50,000BPD) of VGO feed having an API of 23.8 to a hydroprocessing unit toprepare FCC feed for the FCC unit after removing products in aprefractionation column. The hydroprocessing pressure is 9.7 MPa (1400psig), and the FCC riser outlet temperature is 518° C. (965° F.). FCCproduct is recovered in a conventional main fractionation column. HCOfrom a lowest side outlet of the main column is blended with the VGOfeed when it is recycled to the hydroprocessing unit. Yields entailcombined recoveries obtained from both the main fractionation column andthe prefractionation column. The distillate boiling range is 171-349° C.(340-660° F.) and the slurry oil boiling range is over 349° C. (660°F.).

Scheme 1 differs in operation from the Base Case in that a portion ofspent catalyst is recycled to contact the feed without undergoingregeneration. The ratio of recycled spent catalyst to regeneratedcatalyst contacted with the feed was 0.75 to 1. The improved operationprovides an increased yield over the Base Case in distillate productionwith reductions in all other products except for fuel gas which stayedthe same.

Scheme 2 differs from the Base Case in that a vacuum column receives themain fractionation column slurry stream and a liquid cycle oil streamfrom a vacuum overhead comprising material boiling at or below 482° C.(900° F.) recycles to the hydroprocessing unit with the HCO recyclestream from the main fractionation column. The improved operationprovides an increased yield in all product categories includingdistillate production over the Base Case with reduction only in thewaste slurry oil stream.

Scheme 3 differs from the Scheme 2 in that the recycle stream of vacuumcolumn overhead and HCO from the main column is segregated from the VGOfeed to the hydroprocessing unit. The recycle stream recycles to only toa second aromatic saturation zone of the hydroprocessing unit whilebypassing a first hydroprocessing zone of the hydroprocessing unit. Theimproved operation provides an increased yield in distillate productionwith reductions in all other products over Scheme 2.

Scheme 4 differs from the Scheme 3 in that a portion of spent catalystrecycles to contact the feed without undergoing regeneration. Theimproved operation provides an increased yield over Scheme 3 indistillate production with reductions in all other products.

Scheme 5 differs from Scheme 4 in that a heater heats the main columnslurry stream from a bottoms temperature of 363° C. (685° F.) to aheated temperature of 388° C. (730° F.) before it is fed to the vacuumcolumn. The improved operation provides an increased yield in allproduct categories with the largest improvement in distillate productionwith a marked reduction in slurry oil production over Scheme 4.

TABLE 2 Base Case Scheme 1 Scheme 2 Scheme 3 Scheme 4 Scheme 5 Cycle OilBlended Blended Blended Segregated Segregated Segregated Recycle OptionFractionation Main Main Main Main Main Main Option Column Column Column/Column/ Column/ Column/ Vacuum Vacuum Vacuum Heater/ Column ColumnColumn Vacuum Column Spent Catalyst No Yes No No Yes Yes Recycle OptionTotal Yields on Fresh Feed, wt % Fuel Gas 2.08 2.08 2.10 2.07 2.06 2.07LPG 13.98 13.93 14.06 13.88 13.84 13.90 Gasoline 37.88 37.74 38.09 37.6837.57 37.74 Distillate 35.55 35.79 35.75 36.49 36.68 36.95 Slurry Oil5.59 5.57 5.06 4.99 4.98 4.45 Coke 4.92 4.90 4.95 4.88 4.87 4.89

Example 3

We simulated a fractionation unit downstream of hydroprocessing unit andan FCC unit to demonstrate the capability of the described apparatus andprocess. The simulated operation utilized one hydroprocessing unit andone FCC reactor and a feed rate of 296,372 kg/hr (50,000 bpsd, 653,390lb/hr) of hydrotreated VGO feedstock to the FCC reactor. LCO produced atthe main fractionation column boiled at 221-349° C. (430-660° F.) whilethe total LCO recovered as product boiled at 174-349° C. (345-660° F.).The HCO recycle to the hydroprocessing unit is produced at the FCC mainfractionation column from a side outlet. To produce the HCO recycle of12.5 vol % of fresh feed, which is 994 m³/day (6250 BPD), mainfractionation column operation was adjusted. The liquid products thatcan be produced at the FCC main fractionation column are shown in Table3. Light gasoline boiled at C₅-174° C. (345° F.), and heavy gasolineboiled at 174-221° C. (345-430° F.).

TABLE 3 Light Gasoline, m³/day (BPD) 3905 (24565) Heavy Gasoline to beblended with LCO, 956 (6013) m³/day (BPD) LCO produced at Main Column,605 (3803) m³/day (BPD) Total LCO produced, 1560 (9816)  m³/day (BPD)HCO Recycle From Main Column to Hydroprocessing 994 (6250) Unit, m³/day(BPD) Slurry, m³/day (BPD) 437 (2750) Main Column Total Liquid Productand Recycle, 6897 (43381) m³/day (BPD)

Table 4 shows a case in which the slurry oil stream from the main columnbottoms is routed to a vacuum separator. The operation at main columnwas adjusted and this resulted in less production of slurry oil and moreproduction of LCO. The HCO recycle stream from the side of the maincolumn is reduced to allow production of more LCO from the main column.The recycle flow rate is maintained at 12.5 vol % of fresh feed. Thiswas achieved by recycling cycle oil from the vacuum column overheadstream along with the HCO recycle stream from the main column.

TABLE 4 Light Gasoline, m³/day (BPD) 3905 (24565) Heavy Gasoline to beblended with LCO, m³/day (BPD) 956 (6013) LCO produced at Main Column,m³/day (BPD) 648 (4078) Total LCO produced, m³/day (BPD) 1604 (10091)Vacuum Column Overhead Recycle, m³/day (BPD) 44 (275) HCO Recycle FromMain Column, m³/day (BPD) 950 (5975) Total Recycle to HydroprocessingUnit: HCO from Main 994 (6250) Column & Vacuum Column Overhead, m³/day(BPD) Slurry, m³/day (BPD) 394 (2475) Main Column Total Liquid Productand Recycle, m³/day 6897 (43381) (BPD)

The recycle of vacuum column overhead material to the hydroprocessingunit results in shifting HCO to LCO in the FCC main fractionation columnwhich increases diesel recovery in the substance of LCO by 44 m³ or 275barrels per day from FCC or 0.55 vol % on fresh feed.

Table 5 shows a case in which the slurry oil stream from the main columnbottoms is routed to a vacuum separator after being heated in a slurryheater to 388° C. (730° F.). The operation at main column was adjustedand this resulted in less production of slurry oil and more productionof LCO at the main column. The HCO recycle stream from the side of themain column is reduced even more to allow production of even more LCOfrom the main column. The recycle flow rate to the hydroprocessing unitis again maintained at 12.5 vol % of fresh feed. This was achieved byrecycling twice as much cycle oil from the vacuum column overhead streamalong with the HCO recycle stream from FCC main column. The additionalvacuum column overhead flow rate was achieved by heating the main columnbottom slurry product stream.

TABLE 5 Light Gasoline, m³/day (BPD) 3905 (24565) Heavy Gasoline to beblended with LCO, m³/day (BPD) 956 (6013) LCO produced at Main Column,m³/day (BPD) 692 (4352) Total LCO produced, m³/day (BPD) 1648 (10365)Vacuum Column Overhead Recycle, m³/day (BPD) 87 (550) HCO Recycle FromMain Column, m³/day (BPD) 906 (5700) Total Recycle To hydroprocessingUnit: HCO from Main 994 (6250) Column and Vacuum Column Overhead, m³/day(BPD) Slurry, m³/day (BPD) 350 (2200) Main Column Total Liquid Productand Recycle, 6897 (43381) m³/day (BPD)

By heating the slurry oil stream prior to entry into the vacuum columnseparator, the vacuum column overhead doubles for recycle. The recycleof vacuum column overhead material to hydroprocessing unit results inshifting HCO to LCO in the main FCC main fractionation column whichincreases diesel recovery in the substance of LCO by 87 m³ or 550barrels per day from the FCC unit or 1.1 vol % on fresh feed.

Specific Embodiments

While the following is described in conjunction with specificembodiments, it will be understood that this description is intended toillustrate and not limit the scope of the preceding description and theappended claims.

A first embodiment of the invention is a process for catalyticallycracking hydrocarbons comprising feeding a fresh hydrocarbon feed streamto a first hydroprocessing zone to hydroprocess the hydrocarbon feedstream to provide a first hydroprocessed effluent stream; feeding arecycle cracked stream to a second hydroprocessing zone to hydroprocessthe recycle cracked stream and provide a second hydroprocessed effluentstream; separating hydroprocessed products from the first hydroprocessedeffluent stream and the second hydroprocessed effluent stream to providean FCC feed stream; feeding the FCC feed stream to an FCC reactor andcontacting the FCC feed stream with catalyst to catalytically crack theFCC feed stream to provide a cracked stream; disengaging the catalystfrom the cracked stream; and separating the recycled cracked stream fromthe cracked stream. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all ofprior embodiments in this paragraph up through the first embodiment inthis paragraph further comprising passing the first hydroprocessedeffluent to the second hydroprocessing zone. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the first embodiment in this paragraph further comprisingbypassing a portion of the first hydroprocessed effluent stream aroundthe second hydroprocessing zone. An embodiment of the invention is one,any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the firstembodiment in this paragraph further comprising feeding the crackedstream to a main fractionation column and taking the recycle crackedstream from an outlet in a side of the main fractionation column. Anembodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments inthis paragraph up through the first embodiment in this paragraph furthercomprising fractionating the cracked stream into products including aslurry oil stream from a bottom of a main fractionation column;separating the slurry oil stream into a cycle oil stream and a heavystream under vacuum pressure; and recycling the cycle oil stream as therecycle cracked stream. An embodiment of the invention is one, any orall of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the firstembodiment in this paragraph further comprising heating the slurry oilstream before separating the slurry oil stream. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the first embodiment in this paragraph wherein morehydrodemetallization occurs in the first hydroprocessing zone than inthe second hydroprocessing zone. An embodiment of the invention is one,any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the firstembodiment in this paragraph wherein more hydrodenitrification occurs inthe first hydroprocessing zone than in the second hydroprocessing zone.An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodimentsin this paragraph up through the first embodiment in this paragraphwherein more aromatic saturation occurs in the second hydroprocessingzone than in the first hydroprocessing zone. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the first embodiment in this paragraph wherein morehydrodesulfurization occurs in the first hydroprocessing zone than inthe second hydroprocessing zone. An embodiment of the invention is one,any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the firstembodiment in this paragraph wherein said separation of saidhydroprocessed products from said first hydroprocessed effluent streamand said second hydroprocessed effluent stream to provide an FCC feedstream is performed in a fractionation column.

An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodimentsin this paragraph up through the first embodiment in this paragraphfurther comprising regenerating a portion of the catalyst disengagedfrom the cracked stream and recycling a second portion of the catalystdisengaged from the cracked stream to be contacted with the FCC feedstream without undergoing regeneration. An embodiment of the inventionis one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through thefirst embodiment in this paragraph wherein the fresh hydrocarbon feedstream comprises vacuum gas oil having a T5 of at least 316° C. (600°F.).

A second embodiment of the invention is a process for catalyticallycracking hydrocarbons comprising feeding a fresh hydrocarbon feed streamto a first hydroprocessing zone to hydroprocess the hydrocarbon feedstream to provide a first hydroprocessed effluent stream; feeding arecycle cracked stream to a second hydroprocessing zone that comprises acatalyst that is active for saturating aromatic rings to hydroprocessthe recycle cracked stream to provide a second hydroprocessed effluentstream; separating hydroprocessed products from the first hydroprocessedeffluent stream and the second hydroprocessed effluent stream in afractionation column to provide an FCC feed stream; feeding the FCC feedstream to an FCC reactor and contacting the FCC feed stream withcatalyst to catalytically crack the FCC feed stream to provide a crackedstream; disengaging the catalyst from the cracked stream; and separatingthe recycled cracked stream from the cracked stream. An embodiment ofthe invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraphup through the second embodiment in this paragraph further comprisingfractionating the cracked stream into products including a slurry oilstream from a bottom of a main fractionation column; separating theslurry oil stream into a cycle oil stream and a heavy stream undervacuum pressure; and recycling the cycle oil stream as the recyclecracked stream. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all ofprior embodiments in this paragraph up through the second embodiment inthis paragraph further comprising heating the slurry oil stream beforeseparating the slurry oil stream. An embodiment of the invention is one,any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the secondembodiment in this paragraph further comprising regenerating a portionof the catalyst disengaged from the cracked stream and recycling asecond portion of the catalyst disengaged from the cracked stream to becontacted with the FCC feed stream without undergoing regeneration. Anembodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments inthis paragraph up through the second embodiment in this paragraphfurther comprising passing a portion of the first hydroprocessedeffluent stream to the second hydroprocessing zone and bypassing anotherportion of the first hydroprocessed effluent stream around the secondhydroprocessing zone.

A third embodiment of the invention is a process for catalyticallycracking hydrocarbons comprising feeding a fresh hydrocarbon feed streamto a first hydroprocessing zone to hydroprocess the hydrocarbon feedstream to provide a first hydroprocessed effluent stream; feeding arecycle cracked stream to a second hydroprocessing zone to hydroprocessthe recycle cracked stream and provide a second hydroprocessed effluentstream; feeding at least a portion of the first hydroprocessed effluentto the second hydroprocessing zone; separating an FCC feed stream fromthe second hydroprocessed effluent stream; feeding the FCC feed streamto an FCC reactor and contacting the FCC feed stream with catalyst tocatalytically crack the FCC feed stream to provide a cracked stream;disengaging the catalyst from the cracked stream; fractionating thecracked stream into products including a slurry oil stream from a bottomof a main fractionation column; separating the slurry oil stream into acycle oil stream and a heavy stream under vacuum pressure; and recyclingthe cycle oil stream as the recycle cracked stream. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the third embodiment in this paragraph wherein the secondhydroprocessing zone comprises a catalyst that is active for saturatingaromatic rings. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all ofprior embodiments in this paragraph up through the third embodiment inthis paragraph further comprising feeding all of the firsthydroprocessed effluent to the second hydroprocessing zone.

A fourth embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for catalyticallycracking hydrocarbons comprising a first hydroprocessing zone with anfirst inlet and a first outlet, the first inlet being in communicationwith a source of a fresh hydrocarbon feed stream; a secondhydroprocessing zone with a second inlet and a second outlet; an FCCreactor in communication with the first outlet and the second outlet;and a main fractionation column in communication with the FCC reactor;the main fractionation column having a main outlet in a bottom of themain fractionation column, the second inlet being in downstreamcommunication with the main outlet. An embodiment of the invention isone, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through thefourth embodiment in this paragraph wherein an auxiliary outlet is in aside of the main fractionation column and the second inlet is indownstream communication with the auxiliary outlet. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the fourth embodiment in this paragraph further comprising aheater in communication with the main outlet. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the fourth embodiment in this paragraph further comprising avacuum separator in communication with the main outlet. An embodiment ofthe invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraphup through the fourth embodiment in this paragraph further comprising areceiver in communication with a separator overhead line of the vacuumseparator; a vacuum generation device in communication with a receiveroverhead line of the receiver; and a receiver bottoms line of thereceiver for providing a recycle cracked stream, the second inlet beingin downstream communication with the receiver bottoms line. Anembodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments inthis paragraph up through the fourth embodiment in this paragraphwherein the second hydroprocessing zone is in communication with thefirst outlet. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of priorembodiments in this paragraph up through the fourth embodiment in thisparagraph further comprising a prefractionation column in communicationwith the second hydroprocessing zone, the FCC reactor being indownstream communication with the prefractionation column. An embodimentof the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in thisparagraph up through the fourth embodiment in this paragraph wherein theFCC reactor comprises a riser and further comprising a recycle conduitin communication with a riser outlet and a riser inlet. An embodiment ofthe invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraphup through the fourth embodiment in this paragraph wherein the firsthydroprocessing zone and the second hydroprocessing zone are containedin the same reactor vessel.

A fifth embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for catalyticallycracking hydrocarbons comprising a first hydroprocessing zone with anfirst inlet and a first outlet, the first inlet being in communicationwith a source of a fresh hydrocarbon feed stream; a secondhydroprocessing zone with a second inlet and a second outlet; an FCCreactor in communication with the first outlet and the second outlet; amain fractionation column in communication with the FCC reactor; themain fractionation column having a main outlet in a bottom of the mainfractionation column; a vacuum separator in communication with the mainoutlet and the second inlet being in downstream communication with thevacuum separator. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all ofprior embodiments in this paragraph up through the fifth embodiment inthis paragraph wherein an auxiliary outlet is in a side of the mainfractionation column and the second inlet is in downstream communicationwith the auxiliary outlet. An embodiment of the invention is one, any orall of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the fifthembodiment in this paragraph further comprising a heat exchanger incommunication with the main outlet. An embodiment of the invention isone, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through thefifth embodiment in this paragraph further comprising a receiver incommunication with a separator overhead line of the vacuum separator; avacuum generation device in communication with a receiver overhead lineof the receiver; and a receiver bottoms line of the receiver forproviding a recycle cracked stream, the second inlet being in downstreamcommunication with the receiver bottoms line. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the fifth embodiment in this paragraph wherein the secondhydroprocessing zone is in communication with the first outlet. Anembodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments inthis paragraph up through the fifth embodiment in this paragraph furthercomprising a prefractionation column in communication with the secondhydroprocessing zone, the FCC reactor being in downstream communicationwith the prefractionation column. An embodiment of the invention is one,any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the fifthembodiment in this paragraph wherein the FCC reactor comprises a riserand further comprising a recycle conduit in communication with a riseroutlet and a riser inlet. An embodiment of the invention is one, any orall of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the fifthembodiment in this paragraph wherein the first hydroprocessing zone andthe second hydroprocessing zone are contained in the same reactorvessel.

A sixth embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for catalyticallycracking hydrocarbons comprising a first hydroprocessing zone with anfirst inlet and a first outlet, the first inlet being in communicationwith a source of a fresh hydrocarbon feed stream; a secondhydroprocessing zone with a second inlet and a second outlet; an FCCreactor in communication with the first outlet and the second outlet; amain fractionation column in communication with the FCC reactor; themain fractionation column having a main outlet in a bottom of the mainfractionation column; a vacuum separator in communication with the mainoutlet; a receiver in communication with a separator overhead line ofthe vacuum separator; a vacuum generation device in communication with areceiver overhead line of the receiver; and a receiver bottoms line ofthe receiver for providing a recycle cracked stream, and the secondinlet being in downstream communication with the receiver bottoms line.An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodimentsin this paragraph up through the sixth embodiment in this paragraphfurther comprising a heat exchanger in communication with the mainoutlet.

A seventh embodiment of the invention is a process for catalyticallycracking hydrocarbons comprising feeding a fresh hydrocarbon feed streamto a hydroprocessing zone to hydroprocess the hydrocarbon feed stream toprovide a hydroprocessed effluent stream; separating hydroprocessedproducts from the hydroprocessed effluent stream to provide an FCC feedstream; feeding the FCC feed stream to an FCC reactor and contacting theFCC feed stream with catalyst to catalytically crack the FCC feed streamto provide a cracked stream; disengaging the catalyst from the crackedstream; regenerating a first portion of the catalyst disengaged from thecracked stream; and recycling a second portion of the catalystdisengaged from the cracked stream to be contacted with the FCC feedstream without undergoing regeneration, wherein the second portion hasabout 0.7 to about 1.1 wt % coke on catalyst. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the seventh embodiment in this paragraph wherein a ratio ofcatalyst to oil in the FCC reactor is between about 8 and about 20. Anembodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments inthis paragraph up through the seventh embodiment in this paragraphwherein the second portion of catalyst comprises between about 10 andabout 50 wt % of the catalyst in a riser of the FCC reactor. Anembodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments inthis paragraph up through the seventh embodiment in this paragraphwherein the average coke on the catalyst in the reaction zone is betweenabout 0.1 and about 0.6 wt %. An embodiment of the invention is one, anyor all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the seventhembodiment in this paragraph further comprising separating a recycledcracked stream from the cracked stream and feeding the recycle crackedstream to the hydroprocessing zone. An embodiment of the invention isone, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through theseventh embodiment in this paragraph further comprising feeding thecracked stream to a main fractionation column and taking the recyclecracked stream from an outlet in the main fractionation column. Anembodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments inthis paragraph up through the seventh embodiment in this paragraphfurther comprising fractionating the cracked stream into productsincluding a slurry oil stream from a bottom outlet of a mainfractionation column; separating the slurry oil stream into a cycle oilstream and a heavy stream under vacuum pressure; and recycling the cycleoil stream as the recycle cracked stream. An embodiment of the inventionis one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through theseventh embodiment in this paragraph further comprising heating theslurry oil stream before separating the slurry oil stream. An embodimentof the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in thisparagraph up through the seventh embodiment in this paragraph whereinthe fresh hydrocarbon feed stream comprises vacuum gas oil having a T5of at least 316° C. (600° F.).

An eighth embodiment of the invention is a process for catalyticallycracking hydrocarbons comprising feeding a fresh hydrocarbon feed streamto a hydroprocessing zone to hydroprocess the hydrocarbon feed stream toprovide a hydroprocessed effluent stream; separating hydroprocessedproducts from the hydroprocessed effluent stream to provide an FCC feedstream; feeding the FCC feed stream to an FCC reactor and contacting theFCC feed stream with catalyst to catalytically crack the FCC feed streamto provide a cracked stream; disengaging the catalyst from the crackedstream; regenerating a first portion of the catalyst disengaged from thecracked stream; recycling a second portion of the catalyst disengagedfrom the cracked stream to be contacted with the FCC feed stream withoutundergoing regeneration, wherein the second portion has about 0.7 toabout 1.10 wt % coke on catalyst; and separating a recycled crackedstream from the cracked stream and feeding the recycle cracked stream tothe hydroprocessing zone. An embodiment of the invention is one, any orall of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the eighthembodiment in this paragraph wherein a ratio of catalyst to oil in theFCC reactor is between about 8 and about 20. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the eighth embodiment in this paragraph wherein the secondportion of catalyst comprises between 10 and 50 wt % of the catalyst ina riser of the FCC reactor. An embodiment of the invention is one, anyor all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the eighthembodiment in this paragraph wherein the average coke on the catalyst inthe reaction zone is between about 0.1 and about 0.6 wt %. An embodimentof the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in thisparagraph up through the eighth embodiment in this paragraph furthercomprising feeding the cracked stream to a main fractionation column andtaking the recycle cracked stream from an outlet in the mainfractionation column. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or allof prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the eighth embodimentin this paragraph further comprising fractionating the cracked streaminto products including a slurry oil stream from a bottom outlet of amain fractionation column; separating the slurry oil stream into a cycleoil stream and a heavy stream under vacuum pressure; and recycling thecycle oil stream as the recycle cracked stream. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the eighth embodiment in this paragraph further comprisingheating the slurry oil stream before separating the slurry oil stream.An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodimentsin this paragraph up through the eighth embodiment in this paragraphwherein the fresh hydrocarbon feed stream comprises vacuum gas oilhaving a T5 of at least 316° C. (600° F.).

A ninth embodiment of the invention is a process for catalyticallycracking hydrocarbons comprising feeding a fresh hydrocarbon feed streamto a hydroprocessing zone to hydroprocess the hydrocarbon feed stream toprovide a hydroprocessed effluent stream; feeding an FCC feed stream toan FCC reactor and contacting the FCC feed stream with catalyst tocatalytically crack the FCC feed stream to provide a cracked stream;disengaging the catalyst from the cracked stream; regenerating a firstportion of the catalyst disengaged from the cracked stream; andrecycling a second portion of the catalyst disengaged from the crackedstream to be contacted with the FCC feed stream without undergoingregeneration, wherein the second portion has about 0.7 to about 1.10 wt% coke on catalyst; and separating a recycled cracked stream from thecracked stream and feeding the recycle cracked stream to thehydroprocessing zone. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or allof prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the ninth embodimentin this paragraph wherein a ratio of catalyst to oil in the FCC reactoris between about 8 and about 20. An embodiment of the invention is one,any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the ninthembodiment in this paragraph wherein the second portion of catalystcomprises between 10 and 50 wt % of the catalyst in a riser of the FCCreactor.

A tenth embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for catalyticallycracking hydrocarbons comprising a hydroprocessing unit to hydroprocessa hydrocarbon feed stream to provide a hydroprocessed effluent stream; ahydroprocessing separation section in downstream communication with thehydroprocessing unit for separating hydroprocessed products to providean FCC feed stream; FCC reactor in downstream communication with thehydroprocessing separation section for contacting the FCC feed streamwith catalyst in a riser to catalytically crack the FCC feed stream toprovide a cracked stream and spent catalyst; a regenerator in downstreamcommunication with the riser outlet for regenerating the spent catalyst;and a recycle conduit in downstream communication with the riser outletfor recycling the spent catalyst to the FCC riser. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the tenth embodiment in this paragraph further comprising ariser inlet in downstream communication with the recycle conduit. Anembodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments inthis paragraph up through the tenth embodiment in this paragraph whereinthe recycle conduit is connected to the FCC riser. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the tenth embodiment in this paragraph further comprising aregenerator conduit in downstream communication with the regenerator andthe riser having an inlet in downstream communication with theregenerator conduit. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or allof prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the tenth embodimentin this paragraph wherein the regenerator conduit is connected to theFCC riser. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of priorembodiments in this paragraph up through the tenth embodiment in thisparagraph further comprising a disengaging chamber containing the riseroutlet, the recycle conduit and the regenerator conduit in downstreamcommunication with the disengaging chamber. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the tenth embodiment in this paragraph wherein the recycleconduit bypasses the regenerator. An embodiment of the invention is one,any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the tenthembodiment in this paragraph further comprising a recycle line indownstream communication with the FCC reactor and the hydroprocessingunit is in downstream communication with the recycle line. An embodimentof the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in thisparagraph up through the tenth embodiment in this paragraph furthercomprising a main fractionation column in downstream communication withthe FCC reactor and the recycle line is in downstream communication withthe main fractionation column. An embodiment of the invention is one,any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the tenthembodiment in this paragraph further comprising a vacuum separator indownstream communication with the main fractionation column and therecycle line is in downstream communication with the vacuum separator.An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodimentsin this paragraph up through the tenth embodiment in this paragraphfurther comprising a prefractionation column in the hydroprocessingseparation section comprising a side outlet for a diesel stream and abottom outlet, the FCC reactor in downstream communication with thebottom outlet.

An eleventh embodiment of the invention is an apparatus forcatalytically cracking hydrocarbons comprising a hydroprocessing unit tohydroprocess a hydrocarbon feed stream to provide a hydroprocessedeffluent stream; a hydroprocessing separation section in downstreamcommunication with the hydroprocessing unit for separatinghydroprocessed products to provide an FCC feed stream; FCC reactor indownstream communication with the hydroprocessing separation section forcontacting the FCC feed stream with catalyst in a riser to catalyticallycrack the FCC feed stream to provide a cracked stream and spentcatalyst; a disengaging chamber containing a riser outlet; a regeneratorin downstream communication with the riser outlet for regenerating thespent catalyst; a recycle conduit in downstream communication with thedisengaging chamber for recycling the spent catalyst to the FCC riser;An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodimentsin this paragraph up through the eleventh embodiment in this paragraphfurther comprising a riser inlet in downstream communication with therecycle conduit. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all ofprior embodiments in this paragraph up through the eleventh embodimentin this paragraph wherein the recycle conduit is connected to the FCCriser. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of priorembodiments in this paragraph up through the eleventh embodiment in thisparagraph further comprising a regenerator conduit in downstreamcommunication with the regenerator and the riser having an inlet indownstream communication with the regenerator conduit. An embodiment ofthe invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraphup through the eleventh embodiment in this paragraph wherein theregenerator conduit is connected to the FCC riser. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the eleventh embodiment in this paragraph wherein theregenerator conduit is in downstream communication with the disengagingchamber.

A twelfth embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for catalyticallycracking hydrocarbons comprising a hydroprocessing unit to hydroprocessa hydrocarbon feed stream to provide a hydroprocessed effluent stream; ahydroprocessing separation section in downstream communication with thehydroprocessing unit for separating hydroprocessed products to providean FCC feed stream; FCC reactor in downstream communication with thehydroprocessing separation section for contacting the FCC feed streamwith catalyst in a riser to catalytically crack the FCC feed stream toprovide a cracked stream and spent catalyst; a regenerator in downstreamcommunication with the riser outlet for regenerating the spent catalyst;and a recycle conduit in downstream communication with the riser outletfor recycling the spent catalyst to the FCC riser; and a recycle line indownstream communication with the FCC reactor and the hydroprocessingunit is in downstream communication with the recycle line. An embodimentof the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in thisparagraph up through the twelfth embodiment in this paragraph furthercomprising a vacuum separator in downstream communication with a mainfractionation column in downstream communication with the FCC reactorand the recycle line is in downstream communication with the vacuumseparator. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of priorembodiments in this paragraph up through the twelfth embodiment in thisparagraph further comprising a prefractionation column in thehydroprocessing separation section comprising a side outlet for a dieselstream and a bottom outlet, the FCC reactor in downstream communicationwith the bottom outlet.

A thirteenth embodiment of the invention is a process for catalyticallycracking hydrocarbons comprising feeding a hydrocarbon feed stream to anFCC reactor and contacting the hydrocarbon feed stream with catalyst tocatalytically crack the hydrocarbon feed stream to provide a crackedstream; disengaging the catalyst from the cracked stream; fractionatingthe cracked stream into products including a slurry oil stream from abottom of a main fractionation column; heating the slurry oil stream;separating the heated slurry oil stream into a cycle oil stream and aheavy stream under vacuum pressure. An embodiment of the invention isone, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through thethirteenth embodiment in this paragraph further comprising heating theslurry oil stream to increase the temperature of the slurry oil streamby about 19° to about 31° C. An embodiment of the invention is one, anyor all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the thirteenthembodiment in this paragraph further comprising heating the slurry oilstream by heat exchange with a hot oil stream. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the thirteenth embodiment in this paragraph further comprisingheating the hot oil stream in a fired heater or by electric heat. Anembodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments inthis paragraph up through the thirteenth embodiment in this paragraphfurther comprising condensing a separator overhead stream from anoverhead of the separator, separating the condensed overhead stream in areceiver and taking the cycle oil stream from a bottom of the receiver.An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodimentsin this paragraph up through the thirteenth embodiment in this paragraphfurther comprising pulling a vacuum on a receiver overhead stream fromthe receiver and feeding it to a drain drum. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the thirteenth embodiment in this paragraph further comprisingrefluxing a portion of the cycle oil stream to the separator vessel. Anembodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments inthis paragraph up through the thirteenth embodiment in this paragraphfurther comprising recycling a portion of the cycle oil stream to theFCC reactor. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of priorembodiments in this paragraph up through the thirteenth embodiment inthis paragraph further comprising recycling the cycle oil stream to ahydroprocessing unit before recycling a portion of the cycle oil streamto the FCC reactor. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all ofprior embodiments in this paragraph up through the thirteenth embodimentin this paragraph further comprising hydroprocessing the hydrocarbonfeed stream in a first hydroprocessing zone and recycling the cycle oilstream to a second hydroprocessing zone. An embodiment of the inventionis one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through thethirteenth embodiment in this paragraph further comprising fractionatinga first hydroprocessing zone effluent and a second hydroprocessing zoneeffluent in a prefractionation column. An embodiment of the invention isone, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through thethirteenth embodiment in this paragraph further comprising fractionatingthe cracked stream into products including a HCO stream from the mainfractionation column and recycling a portion of the HCO stream to theFCC reactor.

A fourteenth embodiment of the invention is a process for catalyticallycracking hydrocarbons comprising hydroprocessing a hydrocarbon feedstream in a hydroprocessing unit; feeding the hydrocarbon feed stream toan FCC reactor and contacting the hydrocarbon feed stream with catalystto catalytically crack the hydrocarbon feed stream to provide a crackedstream; disengaging the catalyst from the cracked stream; fractionatingthe cracked stream into products including a slurry oil stream from abottom of a main fractionation column; heating the slurry oil stream;separating the heated slurry oil stream into a cycle oil stream and aheavy stream under vacuum pressure; and recycling the cycle oil streamto the hydroprocessing unit; and recycling a portion of the cycle oilstream to the FCC reactor. An embodiment of the invention is one, any orall of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the fourteenthembodiment in this paragraph further comprising heating the slurry oilstream to increase the temperature of the slurry oil stream by about 19°to about 31° C. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all ofprior embodiments in this paragraph up through the fourteenth embodimentin this paragraph further comprising hydroprocessing the hydrocarbonfeed stream in a first hydroprocessing zone and recycling the cycle oilstream to a second hydroprocessing zone. An embodiment of the inventionis one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through thefourteenth embodiment in this paragraph further comprising fractionatinga first hydroprocessing zone effluent and a second hydroprocessing zoneeffluent in a prefractionation column. An embodiment of the invention isone, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through thefourteenth embodiment in this paragraph further comprising fractionatingthe cracked stream into products including a HCO stream from the mainfractionation column and recycling a portion of the HCO stream to theFCC reactor.

A fifteenth embodiment of the invention is a process for catalyticallycracking hydrocarbons comprising feeding a hydrocarbon feed stream to anFCC reactor and contacting the hydrocarbon feed stream with catalyst tocatalytically crack the hydrocarbon feed stream to provide a crackedstream; disengaging the catalyst from the cracked stream; fractionatingthe cracked stream into products including a slurry oil stream from abottom of a main fractionation column; heating the slurry oil stream toincrease the temperature of the slurry oil stream by about 19° to about31° C.; separating the heated slurry oil stream into a cycle oil streamand a heavy stream under vacuum pressure. An embodiment of the inventionis one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through thefifteenth embodiment in this paragraph further comprising heating theslurry oil stream to increase the temperature of the slurry oil streamby about 19° to about 31° C.

A sixteenth embodiment of the invention is an apparatus forcatalytically cracking hydrocarbons comprising an FCC reactor forcontacting a hydrocarbon feed stream with catalyst to provide a crackedstream; a main fractionation column in downstream communication with theFCC reactor for fractionating the cracked stream into products includinga slurry oil stream; a slurry heater in downstream communication with amain outlet in a bottom of the main fractionation column for heating theslurry oil stream; a vacuum separator in downstream communication withthe slurry heater for separating the heated slurry oil stream into acycle oil stream and a heavy stream under vacuum pressure. An embodimentof the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in thisparagraph up through the sixteenth embodiment in this paragraph whereinthe slurry heater is a heat exchanger. An embodiment of the invention isone, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through thesixteenth embodiment in this paragraph further comprising a loop heaterin communication with the slurry heater for heating a heat exchangefluid for the slurry heater. An embodiment of the invention is one, anyor all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the sixteenthembodiment in this paragraph wherein the loop heater is a fired heateror an electric heater. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or allof prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the sixteenthembodiment in this paragraph wherein the slurry heater is a shell andtube heat exchanger and the tube is in communication with the bottomoutlet. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of priorembodiments in this paragraph up through the sixteenth embodiment inthis paragraph further comprising a receiver in communication with aseparator overhead line of the vacuum separator; a vacuum generationdevice in communication with a receiver overhead line of the receiver;and a receiver bottoms line of the receiver for providing a recyclestream. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of priorembodiments in this paragraph up through the sixteenth embodiment inthis paragraph wherein the FCC reactor is in downstream communicationwith the receiver bottoms line. An embodiment of the invention is one,any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through thesixteenth embodiment in this paragraph wherein a hydroprocessing unit isin downstream communication with the receiver bottoms line. Anembodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments inthis paragraph up through the sixteenth embodiment in this paragraphwherein the FCC reactor is in downstream communication with thehydroprocessing unit. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or allof prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the sixteenthembodiment in this paragraph wherein the vacuum separator is a vacuumfractionation column.

A seventeenth embodiment of the invention is an apparatus forcatalytically cracking hydrocarbons comprising an FCC reactor forcontacting a hydrocarbon feed stream with catalyst to provide a crackedstream; a main fractionation column in downstream communication with theFCC reactor for fractionating the cracked stream into products includinga slurry oil stream; a slurry heater comprising a heat exchanger indownstream communication with a main outlet in a bottom of the mainfractionation column for heating the slurry oil stream; a vacuumseparator in downstream communication with the slurry heater forseparating the heated slurry oil stream into a cycle oil stream and aheavy stream under vacuum pressure; and a loop heater in communicationwith the slurry heater for heating a heat exchange fluid for the slurryheater. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of priorembodiments in this paragraph up through the seventeenth embodiment inthis paragraph wherein the loop heater is a fired heater or an electricheater. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of priorembodiments in this paragraph up through the seventeenth embodiment inthis paragraph wherein the slurry is a shell and tube heat exchanger andthe tube is in communication with the bottom outlet. An embodiment ofthe invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraphup through the seventeenth embodiment in this paragraph furthercomprising a receiver in communication with a separator overhead line ofthe vacuum separator; a vacuum generation device in communication with areceiver overhead line of the receiver; and a receiver bottoms line ofthe receiver for providing a recycle stream. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the seventeenth embodiment in this paragraph wherein the FCCreactor is in downstream communication with the receiver bottoms line.An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodimentsin this paragraph up through the seventeenth embodiment in thisparagraph wherein a hydroprocessing unit is in downstream communicationwith the receiver bottoms line. An embodiment of the invention is one,any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through theseventeenth embodiment in this paragraph wherein the FCC reactor is indownstream communication with the hydroprocessing unit.

An eighteenth embodiment of the invention is an apparatus forcatalytically cracking hydrocarbons comprising an FCC reactor forcontacting a hydrocarbon feed stream with catalyst to provide a crackedstream; a main fractionation column in downstream communication with theFCC reactor for fractionating the cracked stream into products includinga slurry oil stream; a slurry heater in downstream communication with amain outlet in a bottom of the main fractionation column for heating theslurry oil stream; a vacuum fractionation column in downstreamcommunication with the slurry heater for separating the heated slurryoil stream into a cycle oil stream and a heavy stream under vacuumpressure; a receiver in communication with an overhead line of thevacuum fractionation column; a receiver bottoms line of the receiver forproviding a recycle stream; and the FCC reactor in downstreamcommunication with the receiver bottoms line. An embodiment of theinvention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph upthrough the eighteenth embodiment in this paragraph further comprising ahydroprocessing unit in downstream communication with the receiverbottoms line and the FCC reactor in downstream communication with thehydroprocessing unit. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or allof prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the eighteenthembodiment in this paragraph further comprising a vacuum generationdevice in communication with a receiver overhead line of the receiver.

Without further elaboration, it is believed that using the precedingdescription that one skilled in the art can utilize the presentinvention to its fullest extent and easily ascertain the essentialcharacteristics of this invention, without departing from the spirit andscope thereof, to make various changes and modifications of theinvention and to adapt it to various usages and conditions. Thepreceding preferred specific embodiments are, therefore, to be construedas merely illustrative, and not limiting the remainder of the disclosurein any way whatsoever, and that it is intended to cover variousmodifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope ofthe appended claims.

In the foregoing, all temperatures are set forth in degrees Celsius and,all parts and percentages are by weight, unless otherwise indicated.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for catalytically crackinghydrocarbons comprising: an FCC reactor for contacting a hydrocarbonfeed stream with catalyst to provide a cracked stream; a mainfractionation column in downstream communication with said FCC reactorfor fractionating said cracked stream into products including a slurryoil stream; a slurry heater in downstream communication with a mainoutlet in a bottom of said main fractionation column for heating saidslurry oil stream; a vacuum separator in downstream communication withsaid slurry heater for separating said heated slurry oil stream into acycle oil stream and a heavy stream under vacuum pressure; a receiver incommunication with a separator overhead line of said vacuum separator; avacuum generation device in communication with a receiver overhead lineof said receiver; and a receiver bottoms line of said receiver forproviding a recycle stream.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidslurry heater is a heat exchanger.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 furthercomprising a loop heater in communication with said slurry heater forheating a heat exchange fluid for said slurry heater.
 4. The apparatusof claim 3 wherein said loop heater is a fired heater or an electricheater.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said slurry heater is ashell and tube heat exchanger and said tube is in communication withsaid bottom outlet.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said FCC reactoris in downstream communication with said receiver bottoms line.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 6 wherein a hydroprocessing unit is in downstreamcommunication with said receiver bottoms line.
 8. The apparatus of claim7 wherein said FCC reactor is in downstream communication with saidhydroprocessing unit.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vacuumseparator is a vacuum fractionation column.
 10. An apparatus forcatalytically cracking hydrocarbons comprising: an FCC reactor forcontacting a hydrocarbon feed stream with catalyst to provide a crackedstream; a main fractionation column in downstream communication withsaid FCC reactor for fractionating said cracked stream into productsincluding a slurry oil stream; a slurry heater comprising a heatexchanger in downstream communication with a main outlet in a bottom ofsaid main fractionation column for heating said slurry oil stream; avacuum separator in downstream communication with said slurry heater forseparating said heated slurry oil stream into a cycle oil stream and aheavy stream under vacuum pressure; a loop heater in communication withsaid slurry heater for heating a heat exchange fluid for said slurryheater; a receiver in communication with a separator overhead line ofsaid vacuum separator; a vacuum generation device in communication witha receiver overhead line of said receiver; and a receiver bottoms lineof said receiver for providing a recycle stream.
 11. The apparatus ofclaim 10 wherein said loop heater is a fired heater or an electricheater.
 12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said slurry is a shell andtube heat exchanger and said tube is in communication with said bottomoutlet.
 13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said FCC reactor is indownstream communication with said receiver bottoms line.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 13 wherein a hydroprocessing unit is in downstreamcommunication with said receiver bottoms line.
 15. The apparatus ofclaim 14 wherein said FCC reactor is in downstream communication withsaid hydroprocessing unit.
 16. An apparatus for catalytically crackinghydrocarbons comprising: an FCC reactor for contacting a hydrocarbonfeed stream with catalyst to provide a cracked stream; a mainfractionation column in downstream communication with said FCC reactorfor fractionating said cracked stream into products including a slurryoil stream; a slurry heater in downstream communication with a mainoutlet in a bottom of said main fractionation column for heating saidslurry oil stream; a vacuum fractionation column in downstreamcommunication with said slurry heater for separating said heated slurryoil stream into a cycle oil stream and a heavy stream under vacuumpressure; a receiver in communication with an overhead line of saidvacuum fractionation column; a receiver bottoms line of said receiverfor providing a recycle stream; and said FCC reactor in downstreamcommunication with said receiver bottoms line.
 17. The apparatus ofclaim 16 further comprising a hydroprocessing unit in downstreamcommunication with said receiver bottoms line and said FCC reactor indownstream communication with said hydroprocessing unit.
 18. Theapparatus of claim 16 further comprising a vacuum generation device incommunication with a receiver overhead line of said receiver.